Cone Beam CT Scan

Water Tower Dental Care in Chicago is proud to now offer Cone Beam CT scan technology at our offices in Water Tower Place. Our Sirona Ortholos SL 3D CBCT machine allows us to take high resolution 3D scans of your mouth and teeth to help us better diagnosis problem areas.

Our goal at WTDC is to ensure that you receive the best possible care available for any number of dental procedures, and by implementing this machine into our process, we can see things that normal x-rays might not be able to see.

What is Cone Beam CT?

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) uses a special type of x-ray machine that can generate more information than a traditional x-ray. This machine is capable of producing high resolution 2D images or full 3D views of the mouth and sinuses that can give the doctor a better look at your teeth and other areas that might be causing you issues.

Cone Beam CT technology is not the same as conventional CT technology that you may have heard of. Cone Beam CT uses a cone shaped x-ray beam that moves around the patient, taking thousands of x-rays in a single rotation, that are then stitched together using software, which provides a panoramic, or 3D, view of the patients mouth. The images that the machine produces are similar to those of a conventional CT scan, but without the use of an extremely large machine.

What Does Cone Beam CT Help With?

While x-rays provide our dentists with a good look at what’s going on in your mouth, CBCT scans offer us a much higher resolution look and a better understanding of what is happening and what needs to be done in order to treat the diagnosis.

There are many different uses for CBCT scans, the basic of which is planning for treatment of orthodontic issues, but it can also help with a multitude of other things. Diagnosing TMJ, evaluating the sinuses, nerve canals, jaw and nasal cavity, detecting and measuring jaw tumors, getting a better look at bone structure and tooth orientation, surgical planning for impacted teeth, and determining more accurate placement of dental implants, are all things that the CBCT scan can help us with.

By utilizing this technology we can be more efficient and better prepared for various situations that might arise.

Benefits and Risks

If you’ve ever had an x-ray before than you are aware of the general risks that come along with the procedure. CBCT uses a very focused cone of x-ray to help minimize the amount of exposure received during the procedure, but just like normal x-rays, the same risks apply. However, also just like x-rays, the benefits of the procedure far outweigh the risks involved.

Benefits

As we mentioned already, the cone beam technology helps to minimize the amount of radiation exposure and at the same time, a single scan produces thousands of images of a variety of angles that the normal x-ray machine wouldn’t be able to achieve without being exposed a countless number of times. In addition to that, the CBCT scan is completely painless, so even though the machine might look intimidating, you won’t feel any pain. Another benefit from these scans is that it has the ability to take images of the soft tissue and the bone at the same time.

Risks

The risks associated with the Cone Beam CT scan are the same risks that you face when dealing with normal x-rays, radiation. While there is always a very slight chance of cancer due to the radiation emitted, the proper diagnosis of an ailment far outweighs those risks.

Here at Water Tower Dental Care, we pride ourselves in offering the best possible patient experience when it comes to your dental health. It’s because of that, that we decided to implement the Sirona Ortholos SL 3D CBCT machine into our practice.

We feel that this machine will help provide you with the level of service that we strive for every day and it will help make every visit to our office less stressful and more productive.

If you have any questions regarding the Cone Beam CT scanning or would like to setup an appointment with us, please contact us today!